Football



Feb. 22. 1927.

A. KLEMT E FOOTBALL Filed Dec. 21, 1925 Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF'ICEQ a corresponding number AUGUST KLEMTE, OF BREMEN.

GERMANY, ASSIG'NOR TO GEORG KUEPKER, OF

WILHELMSHAVEN, GERMANY.

FOOTBALL.

Ap lication filed December 21, 1925, Serial No.

ments are covered by a ring which, in the inflated condition of the ball, is flush with the ball surface and fills up the recess. The lacing elements are composed of rigidly secured loops which are threaded through one another to effect the fastening. The air valve of the bladder is provided with lacing elements whereby the lacing process is started and finished, the cover sections and the ring being provided with apertures to which the valve is accessible. By these arrangements the football will present a smooth, continuous surface. The air bladder can be placed in position without diffioulty and without injury, and it can be readily removed for repairs, while the valve, being included in the fastening, will be held securely in position so as to be accessible for the inflation and deflation of the ball.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a view of the inflated ball, and

Figs. 2 and 2 are sections of opposite walls of the football cover,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, incomplete view of the ball, the ring being removed to show the lacing,

Figs. l and 4 are views of the disas sembled cover sections, and

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the inclusion of the valve among the lacing elements.

The cover of an inflatable football is divided into two hemispherical sections a and (0 which are connected together by lacing and which are contracted at the adjoining edges so as to form, when the sections are united, a circumferential recess 0 The lacing is situated in the recess and it is subsequently covered by a ring 0 which fits the recess and lies flush with the ball surface.

In the illustrated construction the con trac-ted edges of the sections are adapted to overlap. Fixed to the inner edge e is a. plurality of loops (Z, and the outer edge c has of metal eyelets f through which tile loops (Z are threaded when the cover sections are united. The air bladder is provided with an air valve 9 to and these eleloops adapted to be 76,735, and in Germany November 11, 1924.

which are connected in diametrically oppo site positions, a lacing loop (Z and a. tag it having at the end a toggle or button 7L There are apertures 2' and 2' in the edge 6 through which the elements (Z and h are admitted to the outside.

In assembling the ball, the air bladder is enclosed between the cover sections whereupon the lacing elements are threaded through the metal eyes f. The actual lacing is commenced with the loop d through which the adjacent loop (Z is threaded. The. remaining loops are interlaced in the same manner, and the last loop (Z is attached to the toggle or button k as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Then the ring 0 is applied to the ball so as to cover the lacing. There are apertures in the cover sections and in the ring through which the valve 9 is accessible for connection to the air pump or for admitting a deflating instrument. As the valve is held in position by the lacing, displacement of the same relative to the aperture is is fectively prevented. As the football is inflated, the ring 0 is tightened to the recess which holds it in position, and as the lacing is covered by the ring, he inflated ball will present a continuous surface.

The cover is provided with a lining 0 which presents a smooth surface to the air bladder.

I claim:

1. An inflatable football comprising a cover divider into two hemispherical sections which form at the joint a circumferential recess, means arranged in said recess for lacing the two sections together, and a ring adapted to fill said recess and cover the lacing when the ball is inflated.

2. A football as claimed in claim 1 having lacing means in the form of rigidly secured loops adapted to be threaded through one another to effect the fastening.

3. A football as claimed in claim 1 in which the edges of the sections are adapted to overlap, lacing loops secured rigidly to the inner edge, and metal eyes fitted in the outside edge to admit the loops, the loops being adapted to be threaded through one another to effect the fastening.

4. A football as claimed in claim l'having lacing means in the form of rigidly secured threaded through one another to effect the fastening, an air valve,

and lacing elements secured to said valve so that they can serve as starting and finishing elements in the lacing process.

5. A football as claimed in claim 1 having lacing means in the form of rigidly secured loops adapted to be threaded through one another to effect the fastening, an air valve, a lacing loop secured to said valve as a starting element in the lacing process, and a button secured to said valve as a finishing element in the lacing process.

6. A football according to claim 1 having lacing means in the form of rigidly secured loops adapted to be threaded through one another to effect the fastening, an air valve, and lacing elements secured to said valve as starting and finishing elements in the lacing process, the cover sections and the ring being formed with coinciding apertures through Which said valve is accessible from the outside.

7 In an inflatable football, the structure claimed in claim 1 and a cloth lining for each cover section.

AUGUST KLEMTE. 

